Yanow, Robert: my Navy recollections (October 28, 2008)
PublicABSTRACT: Rear Admiral Robert Yanow Yanow_R_0565_01.mp3 0:10 Introduction of Robert Yanow. 0:25 1966 Yanow was the FO2FEF as Seagoing officer. Did not participate in the "Fermenting of issue of unification." Amalgamation rather than Unification; possibly a good thing from an economic point of view. Not combat arms; not to be touched. Landymore hesitant, no one really knew what it would all look like. Once they did know "their backs went up." The Air force was happy with the process. Army worried about losing regimental consciousness. Hellyer "bought" as many Sr. Jobs as possible; with support of Air Force. 5:06 Pearson Accepting this: 6:00 So did Mountbatten and McNamara - Use Canada as an example Knowledge of other countries "laughing at" 7:31 Landymore fired; A martyr for the Navy 8:08 Knowledge that officers were retiring. 8:58 Officers became more political then military. 10:04 "It felt like the People of Canada didn't care". A loss of public support. No one cared. Military was not supported by public and political authorities. "that's a dastardly thing" 11:30 Halifax meeting with Hellyer "Not a nice thing". 12:56 O'Brien took over as Maritime Command. A good appointment. "He sloughed off the political stuff". 13:33 XO of Terra Nova; Knowledge of Green uniforms meant that old uniforms were ignored. Dress and deportment was a shame. Stayed that way to 1972. 14:56 Terra Nova was undergoing a major refit. New technologies meant new younger tech savvy people. They cared more. 15:20 Personnel training issue difficult because of lack of education for most sailors. It was a hard transformation to digital from analogue. Many sailors could not make it work. Not until 1970 did higher education requirements (grade 10-12) mean improvements. 17:04 1970 last time he could wear his blue uniform. Posted to fleet school and new training establishment and newer younger students. Things started to turn around for technological services. 18:00 1972 DDH Athabaskan commissioned. Douglas S. Boyle took over Maritime command: Not well liked but very welcomed. He was "hard driving". Turned the bad uniform, haircuts etc around. Within six months things turned around. 19:57 Unification completely implemented but "burning fire" was still felt by Navy and was until 1985 when got back distinctive uniforms. 20:20 Navy refused to use army ranks. Continued to fight to present time. Now there is a reversion, with Canadianisation, to old Navy customs and tradition 21:10 "with a little forethought this could have happened in 1966-67 under a term called amalgamation. Instead we had to get though all this purgatory before we went all round this circle to where we are today. 21:40 Story about wearing green uniform as Naval Attaché in Washington. Complained to Adm Falls; nothing could be done. 22:35 US Navy knew that Canadian Navy was not comfortable in green and they made sure Canada was not a laughing stock. Not very comfortable 23:30 Uniform for the first time, thoughts and feelings. Came in the mail 1970; it was "hart-breaking". 24;25 "no one wear a green uniform… we were a pariah" 24:58 Hellyer didn't care: Interview question with him. Hellyer 'lied' about what he wanted for uniforms. 26: 25 Mess dress was kept: "we wouldn't do it… they (DND) couldn't make us". 27:15 NDHQ and politicalisation of military 28:18 "I found it difficult" more political then military. 28:35 1979 Deputy-Minister Buzz Nixon though newly elected conservative would be out and "our guys" will be back in soon. "politics played a great part in HQ. Sr. Officers were very careful" 29:50 competition and integration between civilian (DND) and military (CF). DND won. 31:54 Were there changes in daily jobs? No "That was the nice thing about being in the navy and being on ships. They couldn't put their fingers on you and make you do what they want. 33: 30 That was a gift to the Navy; Army and Air force not so lucky. 33:45 Mission first. Just get on with it. 34:57 "Unless otherwise directed; intend…" Do then ask. 35:29 Unsure if money was saved. Did not transfer into equipment. What equipment? J5 jet; useless. DDH 280s; "very good indeed" 37:09 Did unification help the professionalism/ tech improvements taking place? Didn't matter; it would have happened anyways. 38:20 Not a fan of the system Regret that no one was strong enough to ask to take a second look at unification. Landymore did and was fired; made the Navy angry. 39:30 Keeping the "buttons and bows" and customs would have gone a long way to help the forces and could have saved money. 40:38 People didn't care. 41:22 Some people didn't mind unification. Profit off of it. 41:51 Sr. Officers profited off of it. The promotions to fill holes helped. 42:52 Retired in Navy Blues.
Interviewee: Yanow, Robert
An interview/narrative of Robert Yanow's recollections on the formation of the Canadian Armed Forces. Interview took place on October 28, 2008.
Rank: Rear-Admiral.
Interviewer: Bienvenu, Kyle
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 38.89511, -77.03637
- Original sound recording (WMA) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- YR_565
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- November 24, 2009
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2009. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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